U.S. patent number 10,953,407 [Application Number 16/177,042] was granted by the patent office on 2021-03-23 for wind turbine blade recycling.
This patent grant is currently assigned to GFSI GROUP LLC. The grantee listed for this patent is GFSI GROUP LLC. Invention is credited to Ronald Albrecht, Don Lilly.
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United States Patent |
10,953,407 |
Lilly , et al. |
March 23, 2021 |
Wind turbine blade recycling
Abstract
Generally described, the methods disclosed herein for recycling
fiber composite source objects, such as wind turbine blades,
include converting a whole wind turbine blade to an output material
state that is useful for manufacturing other products, such as
those used in construction of buildings, packaging, raw materials,
and pellets, among other products. The recycling process is
performed while tracking the progress and location of each wind
turbine blade such that the direct source of the output material
may be determined. In some embodiments, the method includes
sectioning the wind turbine blades, crushing the wind turbine blade
sections, tracking the progress of each blade through the process,
and loading output materials into a suitable transportation vessel.
Correlating each wind turbine blade to a quantity of output
material provides several advantages, including various
certifications of the material for uses with restricted or
otherwise controlled products and materials, cost savings, and
other advantages.
Inventors: |
Lilly; Don (Bothell, WA),
Albrecht; Ronald (Bothell, WA) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
GFSI GROUP LLC |
Bothell |
WA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
GFSI GROUP LLC (Bothell,
WA)
|
Family
ID: |
1000005437602 |
Appl.
No.: |
16/177,042 |
Filed: |
October 31, 2018 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20190066062 A1 |
Feb 28, 2019 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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PCT/US2018/022053 |
Mar 12, 2018 |
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62524335 |
Jun 23, 2017 |
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62469847 |
Mar 10, 2017 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B09B
3/00 (20130101); G06K 7/10366 (20130101); G06Q
50/04 (20130101); G06Q 10/0833 (20130101); B02C
23/38 (20130101); B02C 25/00 (20130101); G06Q
10/08 (20130101); B29B 17/0412 (20130101); G06Q
10/30 (20130101); C08J 11/00 (20130101); G06Q
10/00 (20130101); Y02W 30/52 (20150501); Y02W
30/62 (20150501); B29B 2017/0468 (20130101); B02C
2201/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B02C
23/38 (20060101); B02C 25/00 (20060101); G06Q
10/00 (20120101); G06Q 10/08 (20120101); C08J
11/00 (20060101); B09B 3/00 (20060101); B29B
17/04 (20060101); G06Q 50/04 (20120101); G06K
7/10 (20060101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
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102536663 |
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Jul 2012 |
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CN |
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102782311 |
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Nov 2012 |
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CN |
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105069495 |
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Nov 2015 |
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CN |
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106255825 |
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Dec 2016 |
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CN |
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20 2015 003 559 |
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Jun 2015 |
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DE |
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10 2015 112 844 |
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Sep 2016 |
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DE |
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Feb 2017 |
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DE |
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1605394 |
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EP |
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10-2012-0011195 |
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KR |
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2007112577 |
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Oct 2007 |
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WO |
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Other References
International Search Report and Written Opinion dated Jun. 1, 2018,
issued in corresponding Application No. PCT/2018/022053, filed Mar.
12, 2018, 11 pages. cited by applicant .
Extended European Search Report dated May 22, 2019, issued in
corresponding European Application No. 18726304.1, filed Mar. 12,
2018, 10 pages. cited by applicant .
International Preliminary Report on Patentability dated Sep. 19,
2019, issued in corresponding International Application No.
PCT/US2018/022053, filed Mar. 12, 2018, 10 pages. cited by
applicant .
International Preliminary Report on Patentability dated Oct. 3,
2019, issued in corresponding International Application No.
PCT/US2018/024131, filed Mar. 23, 2018, 7 pages. cited by applicant
.
International Search Report and Written Opinion, dated Jul. 5,
2018, issued in corresponding International Application No.
PCT/US2018/024131, filed Mar. 23, 2018, 9 pages. cited by applicant
.
Machine Translation of First Chinese Office Action, dated Mar. 11,
2020, issued in corresponding Chinese Application No.
201880000778.9, filed Mar. 12, 2018, 11 pages. cited by applicant
.
Communication pursuant to Article 94(3) EPC, dated Jul. 16, 2020,
issued in corresponding European Application No. 18726304.1, filed
Mar. 12, 2018, 10 pages. cited by applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Francis; Faye
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Christensen O'Connor Johnson
Kindness PLLC
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of International Application No.
PCT/US2018/022053, filed Mar. 12, 2018, which claims the benefit of
U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/524,335, filed Jun. 23, 2017,
and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/469,847, filed Mar. 10,
2017, the disclosures of which are hereby expressly incorporated by
reference herein in their entirety.
Claims
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A method of recycling wind turbine blades, comprising: obtaining
a wind turbine blade for recycling; scanning a radio-frequency
identification (RFID) tag attached to the wind turbine blade to
obtain a blade code that uniquely identifies the wind turbine blade
within a recycling management database at a remote computer system;
uploading the blade code to the recycling management database at
the remote computer system; sectioning the wind turbine blade into
two or more sections by cutting the wind turbine blade at one or
more intermediate locations along a length of the wind turbine
blade; transporting the wind turbine blade sections to a feed bin
of a crushing machine and conveying the wind turbine blade sections
from the feed bin to a rotating crushing drum; crushing the wind
turbine blade sections in the rotating crushing drum to produce
blade pieces; conveying the blade pieces to a chute configured to
direct the blade pieces into a container; loading the blade pieces
into the container; scanning an RFID tag attached to the container
to obtain a container code that uniquely identifies the container
within the recycling management database; uploading the container
code to the recycling management database at the remote computer
system and associating the blade code with the container code in
the recycling management database, in order to track the wind
turbine blade during the method of recycling wind turbine blades;
and loading the blade pieces into a transportation vessel.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: transporting the
blade pieces to a manufacturing facility; unloading the blade
pieces at the manufacturing facility; manufacturing a product at
the manufacturing facility using the blade pieces; scanning an RFID
tag of the manufactured product to obtain a product code that
uniquely identifies the manufactured product within the recycling
management database; and uploading the product code to the
recycling management database at the remote computer system and
associating the blade code, the container code, and the product
code in the recycling management database, in order to track the
wind turbine blade during the method of recycling wind turbine
blades.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of loading the blade
pieces into the transportation vessel comprises: transporting the
container to a loading hopper having an auger; unloading the blade
pieces from the container into the hopper; and directing the blade
pieces through a conduit with the auger to an outlet at the
transportation vessel.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of cutting the wind
turbine blade is performed using a cutting tool selected from the
group consisting of a wire saw having an endless loop abrasive
cable, a circular saw, a grinder, an impact blade, a torch, and a
waterjet.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the blade pieces have a maximum
length dimension in the range between 2 inches and 3 inches
following the step of crushing.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the crushing machine includes a
mobility system such that the crushing machine is movable to a
different position, the mobility system being selected from the
group consisting of wheels, continuous tracks, and skids.
7. A method of recycling wind turbine blades, comprising: obtaining
a wind turbine blade for recycling; receiving, via radio-frequency
communication with a transmitter attached to the wind turbine
blade, a blade code that uniquely identifies the wind turbine blade
within a recycling management database at a remote computer system;
uploading the blade code to the recycling management database at
the remote computer system; sectioning the wind turbine blade into
at least two sections by cutting the wind turbine blade at one or
more intermediate locations along a length of the wind turbine
blade; transporting the at least two wind turbine blade sections to
a feed bin of a crushing machine and conveying the at least two
wind turbine blade sections from the feed bin to a rotating
crushing drum; crushing the at least two wind turbine blade
sections in the rotating crushing drum to produce blade pieces;
conveying the blade pieces to a grinding machine configured to
break the blade pieces into smaller blade particles; grinding the
blade pieces to produce the blade particles; conveying the blade
particles to a chute configured to direct the blade particles into
a container; loading the blade particles into the container;
receiving, via radio-frequency communication with a transmitter
attached to the container, a container code that uniquely
identifies the container within the recycling management database;
uploading the container code to the recycling management database
at the remote computer system and associating the blade code with
the container code in the recycling management database, in order
to track the wind turbine blade during the method of recycling wind
turbine blades; and loading the blade particles into a
transportation vessel.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising: transporting the
blade particles to a manufacturing facility; unloading the blade
particles at the manufacturing facility; manufacturing a product at
the manufacturing facility using the blade particles; receiving,
via radio-frequency communication, a product code that uniquely
identifies the manufactured product within the recycling management
database; and uploading the product code to the recycling
management database at the remote computer system and associating
the blade code, the container code, and the product code in the
recycling management database, in order to track the wind turbine
blade during the method of recycling wind turbine blades.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein the radio-frequency communication
includes communication with an RFID tag.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein the recycling management
database is accessible via a user interface at a client device.
11. The method of claim 7, wherein loading the blade particles into
the transportation vessel comprises: transporting the container to
a loading hopper having an auger; unloading the blade particles
from the container into the hopper; and directing the blade
particles through a conduit with the auger to an outlet at the
transportation vessel.
Description
BACKGROUND
Wind energy, and more specifically the use of wind turbines to
generate electricity, is an exploding market. There are many
companies producing blades for this growing number of turbines, and
these blades need to be periodically replaced if they wear out or
become damaged. This generates a problem for blade manufacturers,
utilities, and other entities that may wish to keep decommissioned
blades out of landfills. Although the prospect of recycling wind
turbine blades may be attractive and consistent with the notion of
wind energy as a "green" power source, it has not previously been
technically or economically feasible. Despite previous efforts,
experts have regarded wind turbine blades as "unrecyclable" and a
problematic source of waste. See Liu et al., "Wind Turbine Blade
Waste in 2050," Waste Management, Vol. 62, pp. 229-240 (April
2017). With the growing importance of wind power in worldwide
energy production, this problem will only get worse.
One obstacle is that if a potentially viable recycling process is
proposed, wind turbine owners and manufacturers have no reliable
way to verify which of the blades have been properly recycled and
where the recycled material originated, among other obstacles.
The applicant has determined that these obstacles continue to
inhibit the development of wind turbine blade recycling processes,
partially because there is currently no system to efficiently track
the status of blades after installation at a wind farm. Tracking
the status of wind turbine blades in a recycling process is
important for several reasons. For example, as suggested above,
such a tracking system would allow turbine owners, utilities, or
certification organizations to determine whether blades have been
recycled properly and to correlate each recycled blade and its raw
material that can be used for feedstock for various products. As
another example, a tracking system would allow recyclers to adjust
or redesign recycling processes to achieve further productivity and
quality gains. In addition, when recycled blades are transformed
into useful raw materials, the tracking system would provide
manufacturers with additional intelligence to improve the
productivity and quality of their manufacturing processes.
As a greater part of commercial and residential power is provided
through renewable resources, the supply of used and no longer
serviceable wind turbine blades has grown. Therefore, a need exists
for methods to recycle the no-longer serviceable wind turbine
blades, and other objects, and track the status of the recycling
process accordingly.
SUMMARY
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a
simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed
Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features
of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an
aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a
method of recycling wind turbine blades is provided. The method
generally includes obtaining a wind turbine blade for recycling;
scanning a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag attached to
the wind turbine blade to obtain a blade code that uniquely
identifies the wind turbine blade within a recycling management
database at a remote computer system; uploading the blade code to
the recycling management database at the remote computer system;
sectioning the wind turbine blade into two sections by cutting the
wind turbine blade at an intermediate location along a length of
the wind turbine blade; transporting the wind turbine blade
sections to a feed bin of a crushing machine and conveying the wind
turbine blade sections from the feed bin to a rotating crushing
drum; crushing the wind turbine blade sections in the rotating
crushing drum to produce blade pieces; conveying the blade pieces
to a chute configured to direct the blade pieces into a container;
loading the blade pieces into the container; scanning an RFID tag
attached to the container to obtain a container code that uniquely
identifies the container within the recycling management database;
uploading the container code to the recycling management database
at the remote computer system, wherein association of the blade
code and the container code in the recycling management database
facilitates unambiguous tracking of the wind turbine blade during
the recycling process; and loading the blade pieces into a
transportation vessel.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure, a
method of recycling fiber-composite source items to produce supply
material is provided. The method generally includes obtaining a
fiber-composite source item for recycling; scanning an RFID tag
attached to the fiber-composite source item to obtain a source item
code that uniquely identifies the fiber-composite source item
within a recycling management database at a remote computer system;
uploading the source item code to the recycling management database
at the remote computer system; sectioning the fiber-composite
source item into two sections by cutting the fiber-composite source
item at an intermediate location along a length of the
fiber-composite source item; transporting the fiber-composite
source item sections to a feed bin of a crushing machine and
conveying the fiber-composite source item sections from the feed
bin to a rotating crushing drum; crushing the fiber-composite
source item sections in the rotating crushing drum to produce
source item pieces; conveying the source item pieces to a grinding
machine configured to break the source item pieces into smaller
source item particles; grinding the source item pieces to produce
the source item particles having a maximum length dimension of
about 1/2 inch; conveying the source item particles to a chute
configured to direct the blade particles into a container; loading
the source item particles into the container; scanning an RFID tag
attached to the container to obtain a container code that uniquely
identifies the container within the recycling management database;
uploading the container code to the recycling management database
at the remote computer system, wherein association of the source
item code and the container code in the recycling management
database facilitates unambiguous tracking of the fiber-composite
source item during the recycling process; transporting the
container to a loading hopper; unloading the source item particles
from the container into the hopper; and directing the source item
particles through a conduit to an outlet at a transportation
vessel.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure, a
method of recycling wind turbine blades is provided. The method
generally includes obtaining a wind turbine blade for recycling;
receiving, via radio-frequency communication with a transmitter
attached to the wind turbine blade, a blade code that uniquely
identifies the wind turbine blade within a recycling management
database at a remote computer system; uploading the blade code to
the recycling management database at the remote computer system;
sectioning the wind turbine blade into at least two sections by
cutting the wind turbine blade at an intermediate location along a
length of the wind turbine blade; transporting the at least two
wind turbine blade sections to a feed bin of a crushing machine and
conveying the at least two wind turbine blade sections from the
feed bin to a rotating crushing drum; crushing the at least two
wind turbine blade sections in the rotating crushing drum to
produce blade pieces; conveying the blade pieces to a grinding
machine configured to break the blade pieces into smaller blade
particles; grinding the blade pieces to produce the blade
particles; conveying the blade particles to a chute configured to
direct the blade particles into a container; loading the blade
particles into the container; receiving, via radio-frequency
communication with a transmitter attached to the container, a
container code that uniquely identifies the container within the
recycling management database; uploading the container code to the
recycling management database at the remote computer system,
wherein association of the blade code and the container code in the
recycling management database facilitates unambiguous tracking of
the wind turbine blade during the recycling process; and loading
the blade particles into a transportation vessel.
In accordance with any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the
method may further include transporting the blade pieces to a
manufacturing facility; unloading the blade pieces at the
manufacturing facility; manufacturing a product at the
manufacturing facility using the blade pieces; scanning an RFID tag
of the manufactured product to obtain a product code that uniquely
identifies the manufactured product within the recycling management
database; and uploading the product code to the recycling
management database at the remote computer system, wherein
association of the blade code, the container code, and the product
code in the recycling management database facilitates unambiguous
tracking of the wind turbine blade during the recycling
process.
In accordance with any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the
step of loading the blade pieces into a transportation vessel may
further include transporting the container to a loading hopper
having an auger; unloading the blade pieces from the container into
the hopper; and directing the blade pieces through a conduit with
the auger to an outlet at the transportation vessel.
In accordance with any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the
method may further include a step of sectioning each of the wind
turbine blade sections into two or more sub-sections.
In accordance with any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the
step of cutting the wind turbine blade may be performed using a
cutting tool selected from the group consisting of a wire saw
having an endless loop abrasive cable, a circular saw, a grinder,
an impact blade, a torch, and a waterjet.
In accordance with any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the
blade pieces may have a maximum length dimension in the range
between about 1 inch and about 4 inches following the step of
crushing.
In accordance with any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the
blade pieces may have a maximum length dimension in the range
between about 2 inches and about 3 inches following the step of
crushing.
In accordance with any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the
step of conveying the blade pieces to the chute may be performed
using an inclined conveyor.
In accordance with any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the
method may further include a step of suppressing dust from the
crushing machine using a dust collection rig.
In accordance with any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the
crushing machine may include a mobility system such that the
crushing machine is movable to a different position, the device
selected from the group consisting of wheels, continuous tracks,
and skids.
In accordance with any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the
container may be a bag having a discharge spout at a bottom
end.
In accordance with any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the
outlet may be an electrically controlled load-out spout at the end
of the conduit.
In accordance with any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the
method may further include the step of weighing the container
following the step of loading the blade pieces into the
container.
In accordance with any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the
transportation vessel may be selected from the group consisting of
a tanker truck tank, a railcar, and an intermodal shipping
container.
In accordance with any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the
method may further include transporting the source item particles
to a manufacturing facility; unloading the source item particles at
the manufacturing facility; manufacturing a product at the
manufacturing facility using the source item particles; scanning an
RFID tag of the manufactured product to obtain a product code that
uniquely identifies the manufactured product within the recycling
management database; uploading the product code to the recycling
management database at the remote computer system, wherein
association of the source item code, the container code, and the
product code in the recycling management database facilitates
unambiguous tracking of the fiber-composite source item during the
recycling process.
In accordance with any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the
method may further include transporting the blade particles to a
manufacturing facility; unloading the blade particles at the
manufacturing facility; manufacturing a product at the
manufacturing facility using the blade particles; receiving, via
radio-frequency communication, a product code that uniquely
identifies the manufactured product within the recycling management
database; and uploading the product code to the recycling
management database at the remote computer system, wherein
association of the blade code, the container code, and the product
code in the recycling management database facilitates unambiguous
tracking of the wind turbine blade during the recycling
process.
In accordance with any of the embodiments disclosed herein,
radio-frequency communication may include communication with an
RFID tag.
In accordance with any of the embodiments disclosed herein,
radio-frequency communication may comprise near-field communication
(NFC).
In accordance with any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the
recycling management database may be accessible via a user
interface at a client device.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure, a
system for recycling wind turbine blades is provided. The system
generally includes a saw configured to section a wind turbine blade
into at least two sections by cutting the wind turbine blade at an
intermediate location along a length of the wind turbine blade; a
crushing machine comprising a rotating crushing drum configured to
crush the at least two wind turbine blade sections to produce blade
pieces; a grinding machine configured to break the blade pieces
into smaller blade particles; a container configured to receive the
blade particles; one or more RFID readers configured to communicate
via radio-frequency communication with an RFID tag attached to the
wind turbine prior to cutting to obtain a blade code that uniquely
identifies the wind turbine blade within the recycling management
database, and an RFID tag attached to the container to obtain a
container code that uniquely identifies the container within the
recycling management database; a computing device configured to
upload the blade code and the container code to the recycling
management database at the remote computer system; and the remote
computer system, wherein the remote computer system may be
programmed to associate the blade code and the container code in
the recycling management database, and wherein the association of
the blade code and the container code facilitates unambiguous
tracking of the wind turbine blade during the recycling
process.
In accordance with any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the
remote computer system may be further programmed to associate the
blade code and the container code with a product code in the
recycling management database, wherein the association of the blade
code, the container code, and the product code facilitates
unambiguous tracking of the wind turbine blade during the recycling
process and a subsequent manufacturing process.
In accordance with any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the
RFID tags may be passive RFID tags.
In accordance with any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the
grinding machine may be configured to produce blade particles have
a maximum length dimension of about 1/2 inch.
In accordance with any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the
grinding machine may be configured to produce blade particles have
a maximum length dimension of about 1/4 inch.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this
invention will become more readily appreciated as the same become
better understood by reference to the following detailed
description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a flow diagram describing a method for recycling wind
turbine blades in accordance with one aspect of the present
disclosure;
FIG. 2 is a flow diagram describing a method for recycling wind
turbine blades in accordance with another aspect of the present
disclosure;
FIG. 3 is a flow diagram describing a method for recycling a source
object that employs short-range radio-frequency communication
technology for exchange of digital information in accordance with
another aspect of the present disclosure;
FIG. 4 is a flow diagram describing an extension of the method
shown in FIG. 3, in accordance with another aspect of the present
disclosure;
FIG. 5 is a diagram of an illustrative system that may be used to
perform aspects of the methods of FIGS. 3 and 4, or other methods
for recycling source objects, in accordance with another aspect of
the present disclosure;
FIG. 6 is a diagram of an illustrative computer system that may be
used to provide various entities with access to the recycling
management database depicted in FIG. 5 and related functionality,
in accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure;
FIG. 7 is a diagram of illustrative information that may be stored
in database records in the recycling management database depicted
in FIG. 5 or FIG. 6, in accordance with another aspect of the
present disclosure;
FIGS. 8-16 are screenshot diagrams depicting illustrative features
of user interfaces for viewing and filtering data, in accordance
with another aspect of the present disclosure; and
FIG. 17 is a block diagram that illustrates aspects of an
illustrative computing device appropriate for use in accordance
with embodiments of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The detailed description set forth below in connection with the
appended drawings, where like numerals reference like elements, are
intended as a description of various embodiments of the present
disclosure and are not intended to represent the only embodiments.
Each embodiment described in this disclosure is provided merely as
an example or illustration and should not be construed as
precluding other embodiments. The illustrative examples provided
herein are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure
to the precise forms disclosed.
In the following description, specific details are set forth to
provide a thorough understanding of exemplary embodiments of the
present disclosure. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art,
however, that the embodiments disclosed herein may be practiced
without embodying all of the specific details. In some instances,
well-known process steps have not been described in detail in order
not to unnecessarily obscure various aspects of the present
disclosure. Further, it will be appreciated that embodiments of the
present disclosure may employ any combination of features described
herein.
The present application may include references to directions, such
as "forward," "rearward," "front," "rear," "upward," "downward,"
"top," "bottom," "right hand," "left hand," "lateral," "medial,"
"in," "out," "extended," etc. These references, and other similar
references in the present application, are only to assist in
helping describe and to understand the particular embodiment and
are not intended to limit the present disclosure to these
directions or locations.
The present application may also reference quantities and numbers.
Unless specifically stated, such quantities and numbers are not to
be considered restrictive, but exemplary of the possible quantities
or numbers associated with the present application. Also in this
regard, the present application may use the term "plurality" to
reference a quantity or number.
The following description provides several examples that relate to
recycling used fiber composite (e.g., fiberglass) products, such as
wind turbine blades. However, the disclosed techniques and tools
are not limited to recycling of wind turbine blades. With
appropriate modifications, the disclosed methods, techniques,
processes, and tools can be adapted for recycling other objects or
materials. Suitable other objects or materials may include scrap
material from manufacturing processes (e.g. fiber composite
manufacturing processes), or other large objects formed entirely of
recyclable materials or a combination of recyclable and
non-recyclable materials, such as fiber composite boat hulls and
hot tubs, among other objects and materials. Although the following
description refers to embodiments for recycling wind turbine
blades, it should be appreciated that any suitable object or
material may be recycled using the aspects of the methods disclosed
herein.
Generally described, the method for recycling wind turbine blades
includes converting a whole wind turbine blade to an output
material state that is useful for manufacturing other products,
such as those used in construction of buildings, packaging, raw
materials, and pellets, among other products. The recycling process
is performed while tracking the progress and location of each wind
turbine blade such that the direct source of the output material
may be determined. In some embodiments, the method includes
sectioning the wind turbine blades, crushing the wind turbine blade
sections, tracking the progress of each blade through the process,
and loading output materials into a suitable transportation vessel.
Correlating each wind turbine blade to a quantity of output
material provides several advantages, including various
certifications of the material for uses with restricted or
otherwise controlled products and materials, cost savings, and
other advantages.
The tracking system and method provide a valuable service to
entities such as wind farm operators and blade manufacturers. As
more blade manufacturers and wind farm operators use this system,
there will be a greater volume of blades being recycled, because
the process of recycling will be made simpler and faster. A steady
stream of materials to recycle will allow recycling facilities to
adapt to the available volume of materials. Collection of materials
from wind farms can also be improved by the system, with aspects of
the collection process, such as data collection and tracking, being
automated to improve the efficiency and productivity of the
process, which allows recyclers, wind farm owners, and other
entities to save time and money.
In another aspect of the invention, techniques and tools are
disclosed for computer-implemented tracking and management of
recycling processes such as the processes described above. As an
example, a method for tracking the life of a wind turbine blade is
disclosed. The disclosed method captures the end of life cycle up
to the point the blade is processed to either sell output raw
materials, such as feedstock, or manufacture a product.
The embodiments disclosed herein go well beyond generic automation
of tasks that may otherwise be performed on paper, and provide
technical solutions to technical problems. Embodiments of the
computer-implemented systems disclosed herein can be closely
integrated with the mechanical aspects of recycling and
manufacturing processes described herein to make such processes
faster and more productive, among other potential benefits.
For example, RFID (radio-frequency identification) technology can
be used to automate tracking data and populate the database with
identifiers and other information, from an identifier for the
original turbine tower on which the blade was mounted, through the
manufactured product in which the materials produced via processing
of the recycled blade is incorporated. Illustrative uses of RFID
technology are described in further detail below.
In addition, because the paperwork process of blade creation,
maintenance, and disposal could be streamlined by software to
increase revenue by reducing downtime, there are additional
benefits provided by the technical solutions disclosed herein. Some
reasons for these additional benefits include the fact that several
forms are produced throughout the lifetime of a blade, which
include import and export forms for transporting the blade,
certificates of destruction for each blade, and various tax forms
to state and federal agencies. These factors enhance the need for
technical solutions to improve the efficiency and quality of the
recycling process, and technical solutions described herein can
lessen the effect of such burdens.
Referring to FIG. 1, a method for recycling a source object, such
as a wind turbine blade, for providing raw output materials to be
used in the production of new composite products, including
fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP), is shown. The method generally
includes obtaining the source object for recycling, sectioning the
source object in to two or more sections, transporting the source
object sections to the feed bin of a crushing machine, conveying
the source object sections from the feed bin to a rotating crushing
drum, crushing the source object sections, the crushing occurring
in the rotating crushing drum to produce source object pieces,
conveying the source object pieces to a chute configured to direct
the source object pieces into a container, loading the source
object pieces into the container, and loading the source object
pieces into a transportation vessel. In some embodiments, the step
of crushing the source object sections is performed with dust
suppression measures to limit the environmental impact of the
method. In other embodiments, a step of weighing the container
having the source object pieces is performed prior to loading the
source object pieces into a transportation vessel. The step of
loading the source object pieces into a transportation vessel
generally includes transporting the container to a loading hopper
having an auger, unloading the blade pieces from the container into
the hopper, and directing the blade pieces through a conduit with
the auger to an outlet at the transportation vessel.
In block 100, a source object, such as a wind turbine blade, is
obtained. In one embodiment, the wind turbine blade is sourced at a
wind turbine farm where the blade has a specific effective life
expectancy. At the end of the useful life, the blade may be
selected for removal and replacement. After removal from the wind
turbine tower, the methods disclosed herein are suitable for
recycling the wind turbine blade into raw materials that are useful
for creating new products. In some embodiments, the wind turbine
blade is obtained and partially processed at the wind turbine farm.
In other embodiments, the wind turbine blade is delivered to a
facility for carrying out the steps of the method disclosed herein.
In the embodiments disclosed herein, any number of blades may be
processed simultaneously or in succession. For simplicity, the
following description refers to a single wind turbine blade;
however, applying the method to any number of wind turbine blades,
or other source objects, is within the scope of the present
disclosure.
In block 102, the wind turbine blade is sectioned into two or more
sections. In some embodiments, the sectioning is performed at the
wind turbine farm before the wind turbine blade is transported to a
facility to perform the remaining steps of the method. The
sectioning step may be performed by any suitable cutting tool, such
as a wire saw having an endless loop abrasive cable, a circular
saw, a grinder, an impact blade, a torch, or a waterjet. In
embodiments where the sectioning is performed at the wind turbine
farm, suitable environmental precautions may be taken. In one
embodiment using the aforementioned wire saw, an oscillating or
reciprocating cable is used.
After block 102, the wind turbine blade sections are transported to
a feed bin of a crushing machine, block 104. In an embodiment, a
crane having jaws, for example, can be used to hoist and load the
feed bin, block 104. The crane may ride on continuous tracks to
provide mobility. In some embodiments, the transportation of the
wind turbine blade sections requires racks to secure the wind
turbine blade sections to a trailer or other type of transporting
system.
After block 104, the wind turbine blade sections are located in the
feed bin for the crushing machine. The wind turbine blade sections
are conveyed to a rotating crushing drum of the crushing machine at
block 106. The crushing machine is configured to break the wind
turbine blade sections into smaller blade pieces. In some
embodiments, the crushing machine processes the wind turbine blade
sections until the blade pieces have a maximum length dimension in
the range between about 1 inch and about 4 inches. In other
embodiments, the crushing machine processes the wind turbine blade
sections until the blade pieces have a maximum length dimension in
the range between about 2 inch and about 3 inches. In one
embodiment, the rotating crushing drum has teeth to break the wind
turbine blade sections into smaller blade pieces. In some
embodiments, the crushing machine includes a mobility system such
that the crushing machine is movable to a different position. Such
mobility system may include wheels, continuous tracks, skids, or
any other suitable system. In this regard, the crusher may be moved
to a particular site where the wind turbine blades are stored.
At block 106, the step of crushing the wind turbine blade sections
may include dust suppression at block 128 for environmental
considerations, employee safety, and workplace cleanliness. In some
embodiments, the dust suppression at block 128 includes liquid or
foam spray, vacuum entrapment, filters, chemicals, and any other
suitable dust suppression. In embodiments using liquid or foam
spray, and atomized spray may be used to cover the area of the
crushing machine where dust is escaping.
From block 106, the method enters block 108. In block 108, the
blade pieces coming from the crushing machine, block 106, are fed
to an inclined conveyor to be transferred to a chute, block 114.
One embodiment of the inclined conveyor, block 108, includes an
endless belt of links, such as metal links. In some embodiments,
the conveyor is mobile and may be supported by a carriage that has
wheels. The incline of the conveyor allows machinery to position
containers under the chute at block 114, as will be explained in
greater detail below.
From block 108, the method enters block 114, where the chute is
positioned at the upper end of the inclined conveyor, block 108,
and configured to direct the blade pieces into a container at block
116. Thus, the chute hopper, block 106, is elevated off the ground,
such that machinery may be positioned under the chute to load the
blade pieces into a container at block 116. In some embodiments,
the chute collects the blade pieces and directs them into a slot.
In an embodiment, the chute includes three upright sides, the
fourth of which is open to receive an upper end of the inclined
conveyor, block 108. In another embodiment, the chute hopper, block
114, has an open top. In another embodiment, the chute, block 114,
has a funnel portion shaped from four sloping walls, for example,
to leave an opening in the bottom for directing the blade
pieces.
From block 114, the method enters block 116, where the blade pieces
are loaded into a container. In some embodiments the container is a
bag, such as an industrial bulk bag made from flexible and durable
fabrics, for example, nylon. In other embodiments, the container is
any suitable container for collecting the blade pieces from the
chute at block 114. In an embodiment, the bulk bags have handles
for coupling to forks of a front loader. However, other embodiments
use any suitable bulk bag. In an embodiment, the bulk bags have an
open top end, and the bottom end has a discharge spout for
unloading the bulk bag.
From block 116, the method optionally enters block 132, where the
container is weighed. In an embodiment, the weigh scale is placed
on the ground directly beneath the bulk bag. In another embodiment,
the weigh scale is a flat, low profile weigh scale. In one example,
to weigh the filled bulk bag, the front loader lowers the bulk bag
onto the weigh scale to the point where no weight is being carried
by the front loader. The weight is recorded so that the weight of
the material in the bulk bag can be known, such as for tracking
purposes, which will be explained in greater detail below. At this
point in the method, the filled bags can be loaded onto a vehicle,
for example, to be transported to another location.
From block 116, the method enters block 118, where the container is
transported to a loading hopper for loading the blade pieces into a
transportation vessel. In some embodiments, the loading hopper has
an auger for directing the blade pieces through a conduit at block
120. In the loading step with the loading hopper, at block 118, the
discharge spout of the bulk bag is used to empty the contents of
the bag back into the loading hopper. In some embodiments, the bulk
bags can be unloaded into a plurality of transportation vessels,
for example, a tanker truck tank at block 122, a railcar at block
124, and an intermodal shipping container at block 126. In
embodiments using an intermodal shipping container, the containers
may have various sizes suitable for transport by a flatbed truck, a
train, or a ship, among other transport options. The loading hopper
at block 118 may be low-profile such that the equipment does not
need to be raised for use of the loading hopper. In some
embodiments, the spreading distance of the hopper is adjustable
such that the distance and range of the distribution of the blade
pieces can be controlled for different transportation vessels. In
other embodiments, the loading hopper is automated such that a
filled condition causes the auger to stop and purge the conduit at
block 120.
In some embodiments, the loading hopper at block 118 is suitably a
Bazooka Tube 1200 Transloader available from Diversified Storage
Systems at 46 HC Pioneer Parkway, Sulphur Springs, Tex. 75482. The
Bazooka Tube Transloader can be used with Supersax as containers
and is suitable for loading onto railcars, trucks, and intermodal
shipping containers, for example. The transloader includes a
rectangular hopper which is filled from the top via the bulk bags,
block 116. The hopper is fitted with an internal auger. The bottom
of the hopper is connected to the conduit at block 120 leading to
the load-out spout. In these embodiments, the load-out spout is
electrically controlled. In addition, the height of the conduit and
load-out spout is hydraulically controlled such that a variety of
transportation vessels may be used. In an embodiment, the hopper
has a vibration generator to assist in the transfer of material
through the hopper and out of the conduit. In an embodiment, the
transloader uses an air supply to transfer the material through the
conduit.
Turning to FIG. 2, another method for recycling a source object,
such as a wind turbine blade, for providing raw materials to be
used in the production of new composite products, including
fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP), is shown. The method shown in FIG.
2 is substantially similar in steps and process as the method shown
FIG. 1, described above, except with respect to the inclusion of a
step of grinding the blade pieces to produce blade particles. For
clarity in the ensuing descriptions, numeral references of like
step blocks in the 100 series for the method in FIG. 1 are in the
200 series for the corresponding steps in FIG. 2.
Similarly to the method of FIG. 1, the method in FIG. 2 generally
includes obtaining the source object for recycling, sectioning the
source object in to two or more sections, transporting the source
object sections to the feed bin of a crushing machine, conveying
the source object sections from the feed bin to a rotating crushing
drum, crushing the source object sections, the crushing occurring
in the rotating crushing drum to produce source object pieces,
conveying the source object pieces to a grinding machine configured
to break the source object pieces into smaller source object
particles, grinding the source object pieces into source object
particles, conveying the source object particles to a chute
configured to direct the source object particles into a container,
loading the source object particles into the container, and loading
the source object particles into a transportation vessel. In some
embodiments, the steps of crushing the source object sections
and/or grinding the source object particles is performed with dust
suppression measures to limit the environmental impact of the
method. In other embodiments, a step of weighing the container
having the source object particles is performed prior to loading
the source object particles into a transportation vessel. The step
of loading the source object particles into a transportation vessel
generally includes transporting the container to a loading hopper
having an auger, unloading the blade particles from the container
into the hopper, and directing the blade particles through a
conduit with the auger to an outlet at the transportation
vessel.
Blocks 200, 202, 204, and 206 are substantially similar to the
steps of the method of FIG. 1, described above. In one embodiment,
at block 208, the blade pieces coming from the crushing machine,
block 206, are fed to a conveyor to be transferred to a grinding
machine at block 210. One embodiment of the conveyor, block 208,
includes an endless belt of links, such as metal links. In some
embodiments, the conveyor is mobile and may be supported by a
carriage that has wheels. In other embodiments, the blade pieces
coming from the crushing machine, block 206, are transported to the
grinder, block 210, using any suitable method.
From block 208, the method enters block 210, where the blade pieces
are ground into smaller blade particles by the grinding machine. In
some embodiments, the grinding machine at block 210 is suitably an
ISODAN.RTM. Standard Fiber Production Plant installed into a 20
foot shipping container, available from Isodan ApS, Maribovej 20,
Denmark-4960 Holeby. The grinding machine is configured to break
the wind turbine blade pieces from the grinding machine into
smaller blade particles. In some embodiments, the grinding machine
processes the wind turbine blade pieces into blade particles having
a maximum length dimension less than about 1/2 inch. In other
embodiments, the grinding machine processes the wind turbine blade
pieces into blade particles having a maximum length dimension less
than about 1/4 inch. At block 210, the step of grinding the blade
pieces may include dust suppression at block 230 for environmental
reasons, employee safety, and workplace cleanliness. In some
embodiments, the dust suppression at block 230 includes an external
liquid or foam spray, vacuum entrapment, filters, chemicals, and
any other suitable dust suppression. In embodiments using liquid or
foam spray, and atomized spray may be used to cover the area of the
grinding machine where dust is escaping. In other embodiments, the
grinding machine includes internal dust suppression measures.
From block 210, the method enters block 212. In block 212, the
blade particles coming from the grinding machine, block 210, are
fed to an inclined conveyor to be transferred to a chute, block
214. One embodiment of the inclined conveyor, block 212, includes
an endless belt of links, such as metal links. In some embodiments,
the conveyor is mobile and may be supported by a carriage that has
wheels. The incline of the conveyor allows machinery to position
containers under the chute at block 214, positioned at the upper
end of the inclined conveyor, block 208, and configured to direct
the blade pieces into a container at block 216. Blocks 214, 216,
218, 220, 222, 224, 226, 228, and 232 are substantially similar to
the corresponding steps of the method of FIG. 1, described
above.
The methods described herein have several advantages, including,
but not limited to, mobility of the individual pieces of equipment,
creation of useful raw materials, and tracking of the wind turbine
blades from the removal at the blade farm to the raw output
material. The combination of the particular equipment can reduce
wind turbine blades into raw materials that can be incorporated
into other products in a timeframe on the order of minutes. For
example, in one embodiment, the process requires about 2 minutes to
load the crushing machine, block 106, about 4 minutes to fill the
bulk bag, block 116, about 2 minutes to weigh the bag (with an
average of about 1000 pounds per bag), block 132, and about 4
minutes for loading the bag to transport to the loading hopper,
block 118, resulting in about 12 minutes per bag, or about 5000
pounds of raw material produced per hour.
System for Tracking and Managing the Lifecycle of a Wind Turbine
Blade
In this section, techniques and tools are described for
computer-implemented tracking and management of recycling processes
such as the processes described above. As noted above, although the
prospect of recycling wind turbine blades may be attractive and
consistent with the notion of wind energy as a "green" power
source, it has not previously been technically or economically
feasible. Despite previous efforts, experts have regarded wind
turbine blades as "unrecyclable" and a problematic source of waste.
One obstacle is that if a potentially viable recycling process is
proposed, wind turbine owners and manufacturers have no reliable
way to verify whether the blades have actually been properly
recycled. The applicant has determined that such obstacles continue
to inhibit the development of wind turbine blade recycling
processes, in part because there is currently no system to track
the status of blades in an efficient manner.
The embodiments disclosed herein go well beyond generic automation
of tasks that may otherwise be performed on paper, and provide
technical solutions to technical problems described herein.
Embodiments of the computer-implemented systems disclosed herein
can be closely integrated with the mechanical aspects of recycling
and manufacturing processes described herein to make such processes
faster and more productive, among other potential benefits.
FIG. 3 is a flow diagram describing a method for recycling a source
object that is similar in several respects to the process described
with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, above. In the example shown in
FIG. 3, short-range radio-frequency communication technology for
exchange of digital information (e.g., RFID technology, near-field
communication (NFC) technology, or the like) is used to improve the
recycling process.
The process in FIG. 3 generally includes obtaining a source object
(e.g., a wind turbine blade) for recycling. Blocks 300, 302, 304,
306, 328, and 308 are substantially similar to steps of FIGS. 1 and
2, described above. However, the process of FIG. 3 includes an
additional block 340 in which a source object code (e.g., a blade
code) is obtained (e.g., via an RFID tag on the source object) and
uploaded to a database, as described in further detail below.
Blocks 310, 312, and 330 are substantially similar to steps of FIG.
2. Blocks 314, 316, 330, and 332 are substantially similar to steps
of FIGS. 1 and 2 described above. However, the process of FIG. 3
includes additional steps 342 and 344 in which a container code is
obtained (e.g., via an RFID tag on the container) and uploaded to
the database, and the container code is associated with the source
object code in the database, as described in further detail below.
From block 316, the pieces or particles (or the container that
contains those pieces or particles) are loaded into a
transportation vessel at block 350.
As shown in FIG. 3, an option is provided at terminal B for further
tracking and management of the process at a manufacturing facility,
as shown in FIG. 4. In the example shown in FIG. 4, at block 460
the pieces or particles are transported to a manufacturing
facility. At block 462, the pieces or particles are unloaded at the
manufacturing facility, and at block 464 a new product is
manufactured using the pieces or particles. At block 466, a product
code is obtained (e.g., via an RFID tag on the new product) and
uploaded to the database. At block 468, the product code is
associated with the source object code and the container code in
the database, as described in further detail below. It should be
understood that the manufacturing facility may be at a different
site or the same site as the recycling facility.
As mentioned above, the short-range radio-frequency communication
technology that may be used for exchange of digital information in
described embodiments may include, for example, RFID technology or
NFC technology. In some embodiments, RFID devices are used. Such
devices include RFID tags and RFID readers (also referred to as
scanners or interrogators). RFID devices used in described
embodiments may employ different types of RFID technology. As one
example, passive RFID tags may be used. In this arrangement, a
powered RFID reader (also referred to as a scanner or interrogator)
positioned within a short range of the tag provides enough energy
to the circuitry of the tag via its radio waves to induce the tag
to transmit information, such as an alphanumeric identifier, stored
on the tag. As another example, active RFID tags may be used. In
this arrangement, a local power source (e.g., battery) is included
within the tag or a larger package that includes the tag. The
powered tag can transmit information at a greater distance, as the
tag does not need to obtain its energy from the reader. Other
options include battery-assisted passive tags.
The ways in which the process steps may be carried out may vary in
practice depending on factors such as the source objects being
recycled, the requirements of the recycling certification process
(if any), the requirements of downstream manufacturers (e.g., the
form in which recycled source material must be provided for new
products to be manufactured), and the particular configuration of
the recycling machinery. In an illustrative usage scenario
involving RFID technology, the process can be divided into stages
as follows:
1) source collected (e.g., blades cut) from site;
2) RFID tag for source attached to blade and scanned, and related
information entered in database (e.g., weight, date, site
information, RFID code number for source/blade);
3) blades/source put into storage (e.g., in storage yard);
4) blades/source crushed and/or ground into feedstock;
5) feedstock put in bag/container (in an embodiment, only 1 source
(e.g., blade) per container (e.g., bag) maximum is allowed to
prevent commingling and allow for unambiguous tracking of
individual blades through the recycling process);
6) RFID tag for bag/container attached and scanned, and related
information entered in database (e.g., weight, date, source
material type, RFID code number for bag/container of
feedstock);
7) bagged feedstock (e.g., pieces, particles, fibers) put into
storage (e.g., until needed for manufacturing a new product or
making an intermediate product, such as pellets);
8) feedstock made into pellets and bagged (optional depending on
process);
9) if step 8 above is performed, RFID tag attached to pellet
bag/container and scanned, and related information entered in
database: (e.g., date, weight, source material, source
bag/container type, RFID code number for bag/container);
10) pellets/feedstock made into end product (e.g., panel, railroad
tie, pallet, etc.); and
11) RFID tag attached to final product and scanned, and related
information entered in database (e.g., date, weight source
material, source bag, RFID code number for product).
Many alternatives to this illustrative process are possible. For
example, although the process refers to attaching RFID tags to
sources after they have been collected, it also possible and may be
preferable to attach such tags at an earlier stage, e.g., at
installation. As another example, although the process refers to
attaching RFID tags to bags/containers after feedstock is loaded
into them, it is also possible an may be preferable to attach such
tags at an earlier stage.
By tracking serial numbers and similar information back from the
final end product using technology such as RFID tags and RFID
readers, the source (e.g., blade) for a given end product can be
unambiguously identified. As noted above, in situations where
unambiguous tracking of individual sources through the recycling
process may be required (e.g., for certification purposes), all
source material from a unique source must be kept physically
separate from other source material to prevent commingling through
the process, e.g., when bagged or transported. Otherwise, the
source information becomes invalid or ambiguous and the end product
cannot be tracked to a unique source.
RFID readers/scanners may be used to automatically detect
identifiers associated with RFID tags on sources/blades,
bags/containers, products, vehicles, or other items that may have
RFID tags attached. In this way, the progress of a recycling or
manufacturing process involving recycled materials can be closely
tracked and analyzed. An RFID scanning system (e.g., an RFID reader
coupled with an appropriately configured computer) can be used to
not only detect the identifier, but to add the identifier directly
to the database without manual entry. Other steps in the process
also may involve automatically detecting and adding parameters to
the database, even without RFID technology. For example, a digital
scale coupled to a computer a network interface (or an integrated
digital scale with additional computing resources and its own
network interface) may be used to automatically weigh sources or
feedstock and add corresponding weight information to the database.
Alternatively, some non-RFID steps may rely on manual (or other
forms) of data entry. For example, where a specially configured
digital scale is not available, operators may weigh and manually
enter corresponding data that can be added to the database.
FIG. 5 is a system diagram of an illustrative system that may be
used to perform aspects of the techniques depicted in FIGS. 3 and
4, or other techniques for recycling source objects. In the example
shown in FIG. 5, an RFID reader 520 (e.g., a handheld RFID reader)
is used to obtain a blade code stored on an RFID tag 230 attached
to a wind turbine blade 510. The RFID reader 520 (or some other
RFID reader) also is used to obtain a container code stored on an
RFID tag 232 attached to a container 512 in which blade pieces or
particles are loaded. In embodiments that track the recycling
process through additional steps of manufacturing a new product,
the RFID reader 520 (or some other RFID reader) may be used to
obtain a product code stored on an RFID tag 232 attached to the
product 514 (e.g., a railroad tie), packaging of the product, or
some other structure associated with the product.
The RFID reader 520 provides codes to a computer 540 (or other
computing device) in communication with a backend computer system
550. The backend computer system 550 implements a recycling
management engine 560 and a recycling management database 570. The
recycling management engine 560 includes logic (e.g., in the form
of computer program code) configured to cause one or more computing
devices to perform actions described herein as being associated
with the engine. For example, a computing device can be
specifically programmed to perform the actions by having installed
therein a tangible computer-readable medium having
computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed
by one or more processors of the computing device, cause the
computing device to perform the actions. The particular engines
described herein are included for ease of discussion, but many
alternatives are possible. For example, actions described herein as
associated with two or more engines on multiple devices may be
performed by a single engine. As another example, actions described
herein as associated with a single engine may be performed by two
or more engines on the same device or on multiple devices.
The codes may be provided to the backend computer system along with
other information, such as additional information stored on the
RFID tags 230, 232, 234, or additional information entered by users
(e.g., via a user interface presented on the computer 540). As
noted above, a manufacturing process may take place at the same
site as the recycling process, or at a different site. The same
RFID reader and computing device or different readers and devices
may be used in different stages.
Many alternatives to the processes described herein are possible.
For example, processing stages in the various processes can be
separated into additional stages or combined into fewer stages. As
another example, processing stages in the various processes can be
omitted or supplemented with other techniques or processing stages.
As another example, processing stages that are described as
occurring in a particular order can instead occur in a different
order. As another example, processing stages that are described as
being performed in a series of steps may instead be handled in a
parallel fashion, with multiple modules or software processes
concurrently handling one or more of the illustrated processing
stages. As another example, processing stages that are indicated as
being performed by a particular device or module may instead be
performed by one or more other devices or modules.
Illustrative Software System Architecture and Design
Considerations
In this section, an illustrative system architecture and related
infrastructure is described in which embodiments described herein
may be implemented. In an illustrative arrangement, a blade
tracking system includes a database to store and organize blade
tracking information (e.g., RFID numbers or other identifiers), a
backend computer system (e.g., one or more servers) to carry out
operations such as data filtering and data integrations, and one or
more interfaces to provide access to the backend computer system
and database. The system may have separate interfaces for entities
such as wind farm operators, blade manufacturers, and recycling
service providers. The database may include all the information
about blades in the system disclosed above, a subset of such
information, or additional information.
There are multiple options for the location of the database and
backend server. In a cloud-based approach, the information may be
stored remotely and inputs may be uploaded from input devices
(e.g., computer terminals, mobile devices, and/or RFID systems) to
the cloud-based database. Further, a cloud-based approach can be
used for software distribution. Taking this approach can help to
ensure that customers have the most up to date version of the
software at all times. Another option is to have each wind farm
operation host its own server locally. Although a local server
approach may have benefits in some situations, the cloud-based
approach has several benefits over a local approach because it will
decrease the cost of the package to the operator, making it more
attractive. In addition, a cloud-based approach to software
distribution can greatly reduce the amount of support necessary of
for the application.
The different parties using the system may access the system via
different devices. While the system may reside on a local server or
a cloud-based server, end users may access the system via a
computer terminal, mobile device (e.g., tablet device, smart
phone), etc. Inputs to the system may be automated (e.g., via
appropriately configured RFID systems) or a combination of manual
(e.g., via user interfaces of a computer, tablet device, smart
phone, etc.) and automated inputs.
Access to the system can be provided with different possible levels
of security and authentication functionality. In an embodiment, a
user of the blade tracking system logs in to the system using a
unique username and password. For example, a wind farm operator who
licenses the system will be given a license number, which they can
use to create user accounts. Blade manufacturers and wind farm
owners can be linked together in some respects for data sharing
(e.g., to share data relating to particular blades). For example, a
blade manufacturer can be given access to the data that relates to
blades made by them for their respective customers. Other data,
such as data relating to blades made by different manufacturers,
may not be accessible to that manufacturer. On the wind farm side,
the system interface may provide access to the same data as the
blade manufacturer for blades made by that manufacturer, and this
access may be extended to all wind farm operators having blades
from that manufacturer. It should be understood, however, that data
sharing arrangements may be governed by local or national
regulations on data storage and privacy, industry guidelines,
international treaties or trade agreements, contractual
obligations, or other factors. The system can be adapted to comply
with such requirements.
FIG. 6 is a system diagram of an illustrative system that may be
used to provide various entities with access to the recycling
management database depicted in FIG. 5. In the example shown in
FIG. 6, the backend computer system 550 implements a recycling
management engine 560 and a recycling management database 570. The
backend computer system 550 communicates with other computer
systems via a network 690, such as the Internet. These computer
systems may include a windfarm operator computer system 610, a
system manager/administrator computer system 620, and manufacturer
computer system 630. These systems may in turn provide access to
the backend computer system 550 computing devices such as laptop or
desktop computers, smartphones, or tablet devices.
In an illustrative scenario, access is provided via user interfaces
presented to users of the individual client devices. These user
interfaces may include web interfaces hosted by the backend
computer system or a separate web server and accessed via a web
browser, or interfaces provided by standalone applications
installed on client devices. The backend computer system 550 may be
programmed to perform functions such as form generation, data
filtering and processing, CRM integrations, notifications (e.g.,
automatically sending messages via appropriate communication
channels to users as blades begin or complete stages in the
recycling process), or other functions.
In this arrangement, the backend computer system 550 provides an
interface through which the other computer systems may access the
database 570. The permissions granted to different entities and
users may vary. In an illustrative scenario, wind farm operators
and a system manager can make changes to data via the interface
provided by the backend computer system 550, while blade
manufacturers may access data in a read-only state. The respective
user interfaces of the computer systems for each entity can
communicate with the backend computer system 550, which can respond
to queries by obtaining and transmitting requested information or
making requested changes in the database 570, if such access and
changes are authorized for the respective entity or device.
In described embodiments, records related to the blades in their
installed state, as well as any number of states in the recycling
process, are created and updated in the recycling management
database 570. The database 570 may be customized to achieve one or
more of the goals described herein with respect to the
technological improvements of recycling and manufacturing processes
described herein. In one embodiment, such the database 570 includes
records that track information in categories such as the following
(see column headers of the database record depicted in FIG. 7):
tower: turbine tower ID, e.g., an alphanumeric ID; serial number:
blade: e.g., an alphanumeric ID; date cut; origin facility: wind
farm ID, e.g., an alphanumeric ID or text string; blade weight in
pounds (or kilograms); date moved to storage yard; which yard:
e.g., an alphanumeric ID or text string; RFID #blade: 28 bits
organization: a code corresponding to an organization (e.g., wind
farm, manufacturer, recycler) associated with the blade; RFID
#blade: 24 bits object class (kind of product): a code
corresponding to a type of material of the blade is made, or
product of a corresponding recycling process; RFID #blade: 36 bits
serial number): a code corresponding to the serial number of the
RFID tag for the blade, or the serial number of the blade itself;
Transport bag #: e.g., an alphanumeric ID; Transport truck: e.g.,
an alphanumeric ID, VIN, or license number; RFID #bag: 28 bits
organization: a code corresponding to an organization that
manufactured or owns the bag or other container in which the
material produced by recycling this blade is contained; RFID #bag:
24 bits object class (kind of bag): a code corresponding to the
type of this bag/container; RFID #bag: 36 bits serial number): a
code corresponding to the serial number of the RFID tag for the
bag/container, or the serial number of the bag/container itself;
date at processing: e.g., the date the recycling process
begins/ends; which processing facility: e.g., an alphanumeric ID or
text string; date at product manufacturing: e.g., date the material
produced by the recycling process is used to produce a manufactured
product; what product (1 row per item): e.g., an alphanumeric ID or
text string; serial number product: e.g., an alphanumeric ID;
product weight total: e.g., in pounds or kilograms; product weight
of recycled material: e.g., in pounds or kilograms; RFID #product:
28 bits organization: a code corresponding to an organization that
manufactured the product; RFID #product: 24 bits object class
(class of end product): a code corresponding to the type of
manufactured product (e.g., panels, ceiling tiles, shipping/storage
pallets, railroad ties, manhole covers, etc.); and RFID #product:
36 bits serial number: a code corresponding to the serial number of
the RFID tag for the product, or the serial number of the product
itself.
The design of the database and the software system may be adjusted
to accommodate or take advantage of particular features of the
information being gathered or the technology being used. For
example, a database that stores information such as blade
composition and dimensions can be used to inform and improve
manufacturing processes, and make predictions about the upcoming
availability of recycled source material when those blades are
recycled. In addition, maintenance data for individual blades can
be recorded and transferred to blade manufacturers, which can
adjust production schedules in anticipation of the need for new
blades. This allows production of new blades to be more
efficient.
The software can be tailored to provide many different displays,
dashboards, and reports. As examples, such displays, dashboards,
and reports can be presented to the client/customer or a
certification body. Content for illustrative displays, dashboards,
and reports may include text, tables, graphics, and the like.
Non-limiting examples of information that may be presented via such
displays, dashboards, and reports include: source/origin (e.g.,
blade serial number, tower, location harvested);
destination/facility/yard; final end product made w/serial number
(e.g., RFID number); or status (e.g., "in field," "storage yard,"
"in transit," "bagged," "end product" (e.g., a specific
manufactured product)).
The date of manufacture, installation data, blade composite
material, weight, length, and unique identifying serial number of
each blade are examples of data that may be stored in a database in
described embodiments. Some or all of this data, or other data, may
be stored in an RFID tag attached to the blade, as well, and
obtained by an RFID reader. Storage of maintenance data is also
contemplated in the system, so that the system can estimate, for
example, when an old blade should be removed and a new blade should
be installed. Alternatively, a human operator can make such
estimates based on data or preliminary calculations provided by the
system.
The data stored and gathered in described embodiments may be
transmitted to, or viewed by, the manufacturer, wind farm operator,
or other entities. For example, the data can be used to notify the
manufacturer or other entities of the current state of the blade.
The data also can be used by the manufacturer to alter blade
production schedules and to have new blades already made by the
time a wind farm has to replace them. Critical information about
the blade may be stored and calculations can be made using such
information to assist a wind farm operator in planning the cost of
repair and replacement of blades. The movement of the blade can
also be tracked and shared between the manufacturer and the wind
farm operator.
Because information gathering and processing related to blade
creation, maintenance, and disposal can be streamlined to increase
revenue by reducing downtime, there are additional benefits
provided by the technical solutions disclosed herein. Several forms
may be produced throughout the lifetime of a blade, such as import
and export forms for transporting the blade, certificates of
destruction for each blade, and tax forms for state and federal
agencies. For example, data collected by the system also can be
used for regulatory or other purposes, which may vary by region.
For example, customs or transportation forms may be required to
move blades from region to region. Wind farms and the respective
manufacturers that they use are typically not located in the same
state or even country. Customs import and export forms typically
must be created for moving the blades at each port of entry. When a
blade gets damaged and is decommissioned, the owner of the blade
may wish to recycle it according to one or more embodiments
described herein. The blade will be transported to a third party
facility for processing, and this typically will also require
transportation forms. The disclosed software facilitates (e.g.,
generates or populates) import and export forms as needed to
legally move blades or decomposed blade product. This facilitation
includes pulling information from the database to populate the
forms.
As another example, wind farm operators that choose to recycle
their used wind turbine blades may be eligible for a tax credit or
other financial incentive. In at least one embodiment, a software
system is similarly designed to facilitate generation of a
completed copy of these forms for subsequent processing.
As another example, government agencies or certification
organizations may require proof of destruction of the blade. An
agency may require that when each blade is destroyed, such as in a
recycling process, a certificate of destruction must be filed. This
is to ensure that blades are not just dumped illegally or stored in
an incorrect manner. In at least one embodiment, a software system
is configured to automatically generate this type of certificate
such that a corresponding software system on the regulatory side
(or a person in a supervisory role that reviews the certificate)
will accept it.
These factors enhance the need for technical solutions to improve
the efficiency and quality of the recycling process, and technical
solutions described herein can lessen the effect of such
burdens.
Illustrative User Interfaces
Illustrative embodiments of user/operator interfaces will now be
described in terms of input functionality (e.g., forms, such as web
forms, for inputting or manipulating data) and output functionality
(e.g., screens for display of data, graphics, and related
output).
A wind farm interface may include forms and views oriented to wind
farm operators. For example, a wind farm interface may include a
form (e.g., presented in a browser or a standalone application) to
select a blade and enter data for that blade. This form may be used
to allow the operator or technician to create an instance of a new
blade or select an existing blade and assign data (or modify data)
that may be desired or needed for that blade. Entry and
modification of blade data (e.g., using RFID systems or other
techniques described above) can be performed during a recycling
process or prior to a recycling process, such by entering the data
when a new blade is put into service on a wind turbine. Maintenance
data also can be entered in such forms. Maintenance data can be
helpful for determining the expected lifetime of a blade, or other
characteristics.
A wind farm interface also may include functionality (e.g.,
presented in a browser or a standalone application) for generating
forms such as customs or certification forms, as described above.
The operator can choose a form to generate and enter or import any
details to complete that form. If the wind farm interface allows
communication with the recipient of such forms (e.g., with a
certification agency that receives certificates of destruction),
the wind farm interface may include an interface and functionality
for electronically transmitting forms. Other possible options
include saving and printing forms for signature.
A wind farm interface also may include one or more views to present
data that may be useful for planning purposes. For example, the
interface may include a summary screen with data about the wind
farm as a whole, in which the operator can see what blades will
need to be replaced soon, blades being transported to the farm
(e.g., when new blades are to be put into service) or from the farm
(e.g., as part of a recycling process), cost estimates, or other
information.
A blade manufacturer interface may include forms and views oriented
to blade manufacturers. For example, a blade manufacturer interface
may include a form (e.g., presented in a browser or a standalone
application) that allows a blade manufacturer to select a wind farm
operator and select information for one or more specific blades to
view. As another example, a blade manufacturer interface may
include a blade information screen that allows the blade
manufacturer to view relevant information at an individual blade,
turbine, or wind farm level so that the blade manufacturer can plan
production accordingly.
A system manager interface may include forms and views oriented to
system managers. For example, a system manager interface may
include a form (e.g., presented in a browser or a standalone
application) that allows the system manager to select a wind farm,
blade, blade manufacturer, or any other level of data that they may
want to view or manipulate. Data of various types and levels of
detail may be accessed or modified through different forms, or
forms that allow access or modification of combination of different
types and levels of detail. As another example, a system manager
interface may include one or more screens to view the data of
individual windfarms, subsets of windfarms, or all wind farms
managed by the system. Such views may be useful to allow for
planning, management, and tracking of recycling efforts. As another
example, a system manager interface also may include a form to
allow the system manager to manipulate the data for wind farms
(e.g., via data filtering or other processing, or correction of
errors reported by customers) so that the system manager can
provide technical support to wind farm operators.
FIGS. 8-16 are screenshot diagrams depicting illustrative features
of user interfaces for viewing and filtering data according to some
embodiments.
FIGS. 8 and 10 depict illustrative interfaces in which information
related to U.S. wind farms (e.g., megawatts, location) and
recycling facilities is displayed. In such interfaces, filters can
be applied and graphical elements can be manipulated to zoom,
filter, or modify the data or the display of the data in various
ways.
FIG. 9 is a screenshot diagram depicting an example of how the
interface of FIG. 8 may be transformed after such filtering. In
FIG. 9, a filter has been applied to only show a specific data set,
the Callahan Divide Wind Farm.
FIG. 11 is a screenshot diagram depicting a close-up view of the
Callahan Divide Wind Farm. Close-up views can be generated by,
e.g., activating the zoom-in icon depicted in the map portion of
FIG. 9. (Zoomed-out views can be generated in a similar manner with
the zoom-out icon.) Data related to the turbines of the windfarm is
illustrated graphically on the map portion and in table form with
specific details related to recycling blades from the turbines. The
table includes information such as blade serial number;
tower/turbine number; date "cut" (e.g., the date the blade was
removed from the turbine); date moved to a processing facility
(e.g., for sectioning, crushing, and grinding); and status of the
recycling process for each blades. FIG. 12 is a further close-up of
the wind farm of FIG. 11, with individual towers shown. In this
example, a tower (F-25) has been selected, and serial numbers of
the three blades thereon are displayed.
FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate an illustrative data visualizations of
Callahan Divide Wind Farm blades, such as the dates blades are cut
or moved, and the processing time (or average times) for each step.
These views can allow users to, e.g., determine points in time
where processing improvements or bottlenecks occur. The "Moved
Date" portion of FIG. 13 allows a user to select a particular
window of time (represented by a box on the timeline) for detailed
viewing.
FIG. 15 illustrates an exemplary decommissioning certificate
generated by the system upon completion of a set of required steps
in the process. The towers and specific blades subject to the
certificate are listed.
In described embodiments, the software system can be integrated
with new or existing customer relationship management (CRM)
software for additional functionality. The Salesforce platform,
provided by Salesforce.com, Inc., is an example of CRM software
compatible with the present software, but it will be appreciated
that any CRM software can be integrated with the blade recycling
software presently disclosed.
Integration with CRM software allows for customers' data to be
automatically interfaced with the blade recycling software to
populate the database(s) disclosed herein. Such data can then be
used for visualization of customers' products and aspects related
to blade lifecycle. For example, CRM software can be used to
populate the blade recycling software with identification numbers,
geographic location, date of installation, etc., such that a
customer can then visualize and analyze the locations of their
blades as well as the age and the urgency of replacement of
blades.
FIG. 16 depicts a user interface with illustrative results of CRM
integrations, pulling data from a CRM database to provide
additional information for visualization. Here, the data provides
insight into wind farm age for an illustrative set of wind farms in
the U.S. As with other examples described above, the data depicted
in FIG. 16 can be filtered in various ways, such as by selecting a
threshold age (e.g., 10 years) to locate wind farms that will
likely need replacement blades in the near future.
Many alternatives to the user interfaces described herein are
possible. For example, Screens such as those depicted in FIGS. 8-16
also can be modified to present other information, filtering, or
views. For example, in a worldwide view, each country or region can
be explored to obtain more detailed data. Individual countries can
be selected and a rough estimate of the wind-power generation
capacity for that country can be illustrated, similar to selection
of Texas in FIG. 9. As another example, as was done in the
transition from FIG. 8 to FIG. 10 (illustrating a particular wind
farm), zoom-in, zoom-out, or other operation can be used to analyze
data in other countries.
In practice, the user interfaces described herein may be
implemented as separate user interfaces or as different states of
the same user interface, and the different states can be presented
in response to different events, e.g., user input events. The user
interfaces can be customized for different devices, input and
output capabilities, and preferences. For example, the user
interfaces can be presented in different ways depending on display
size, display orientation, whether the device is a mobile device,
etc. The information and user interface elements shown in the user
interfaces can be modified, supplemented, or replaced with other
elements in various possible implementations. For example, various
combinations of graphical user interface elements including text
boxes, sliders, drop-down menus, radio buttons, soft buttons, etc.,
or any other user interface elements, including hardware elements
such as buttons, switches, scroll wheels, microphones, cameras,
etc., may be used to accept user input in various forms. As another
example, the user interface elements that are used in a particular
implementation or configuration may depend on whether a device has
particular input and/or output capabilities (e.g., a touchscreen).
Information and user interface elements can be presented in
different spatial, logical, and temporal arrangements in various
possible implementations. For example, information or user
interface elements depicted as being presented simultaneously on a
single page or tab may also be presented at different times, on
different pages or tabs, etc. As another example, some information
or user interface elements may be presented conditionally depending
on previous input, user preferences, or the like.
Illustrative Computing Devices and Operating Environments
Unless otherwise specified in the context of specific examples,
described techniques and tools may be implemented by any suitable
computing device or set of devices.
In any of the described examples, a data store contains data as
described herein and may be hosted, for example, by a database
management system (DBMS) to allow a high level of data throughput
between the data store and other components of a described system.
The DBMS may also allow the data store to be reliably backed up and
to maintain a high level of availability. For example, a data store
may be accessed by other system components via a network, such as a
private network in the vicinity of the system, a secured
transmission channel over the public Internet, a combination of
private and public networks, and the like. Instead of or in
addition to a DBMS, a data store may include structured data stored
as files in a traditional file system. Data stores may reside on
computing devices that are part of or separate from components of
systems described herein. Separate data stores may be combined into
a single data store, or a single data store may be split into two
or more separate data stores.
Some of the functionality described herein may be implemented in
the context of a client-server relationship. In this context,
server devices may include suitable computing devices configured to
provide information and/or services described herein. Server
devices may include any suitable computing devices, such as
dedicated server devices. Server functionality provided by server
devices may, in some cases, be provided by software (e.g.,
virtualized computing instances or application objects) executing
on a computing device that is not a dedicated server device. The
term "client" can be used to refer to a computing device that
obtains information and/or accesses services provided by a server
over a communication link. However, the designation of a particular
device as a client device does not necessarily require the presence
of a server. At various times, a single device may act as a server,
a client, or both a server and a client, depending on context and
configuration. Actual physical locations of clients and servers are
not necessarily important, but the locations can be described as
"local" for a client and "remote" for a server to illustrate a
common usage scenario in which a client is receiving information
provided by a server at a remote location. Alternatively, a
peer-to-peer arrangement, or other models, can be used.
FIG. 17 is a block diagram that illustrates aspects of an
illustrative computing device 1700 appropriate for use in
accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. The
description below is applicable to servers, personal computers,
mobile phones, smart phones, tablet computers, embedded computing
devices, and other currently available or yet-to-be-developed
devices that may be used in accordance with embodiments of the
present disclosure.
In its most basic configuration, the computing device 1700 includes
at least one processor 1702 and a system memory 1704 connected by a
communication bus 1706. Depending on the exact configuration and
type of device, the system memory 1704 may be volatile or
nonvolatile memory, such as read only memory ("ROM"), random access
memory ("RAM"), EEPROM, flash memory, or other memory technology.
Those of ordinary skill in the art and others will recognize that
system memory 1704 typically stores data and/or program modules
that are immediately accessible to and/or currently being operated
on by the processor 1702. In this regard, the processor 1702 may
serve as a computational center of the computing device 1700 by
supporting the execution of instructions.
As further illustrated in FIG. 17, the computing device 1700 may
include a network interface 1710 comprising one or more components
for communicating with other devices over a network. Embodiments of
the present disclosure may access basic services that utilize the
network interface 1710 to perform communications using common
network protocols. The network interface 1710 may also include a
wireless network interface configured to communicate via one or
more wireless communication protocols, such as WiFi, 2G, 3G, 4G,
LTE, 5G, WiMAX, Bluetooth, and/or the like.
In FIG. 17, the computing device 1700 also includes a storage
medium 1708. However, services may be accessed using a computing
device that does not include means for persisting data to a local
storage medium. Therefore, the storage medium 1708 depicted in FIG.
17 is optional. In any event, the storage medium 1708 may be
volatile or nonvolatile, removable or nonremovable, implemented
using any technology capable of storing information such as, but
not limited to, a hard drive, solid state drive, CD-ROM, DVD, or
other disk storage, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage, and/or
the like.
As used herein, the term "computer-readable medium" includes
volatile and nonvolatile and removable and nonremovable media
implemented in any method or technology capable of storing
information, such as computer-readable instructions, data
structures, program modules, or other data. In this regard, the
system memory 1704 and storage medium 1708 depicted in FIG. 17 are
examples of computer-readable media.
For ease of illustration and because it is not important for an
understanding of the claimed subject matter, FIG. 17 does not show
some of the typical components of many computing devices. In this
regard, the computing device 1700 may include input devices, such
as a keyboard, keypad, mouse, trackball, microphone, video camera,
touchpad, touchscreen, electronic pen, stylus, and/or the like.
Such input devices may be coupled to the computing device 1700 by
wired or wireless connections including RF, infrared, serial,
parallel, Bluetooth, USB, or other suitable connection protocols
using wireless or physical connections.
In any of the described examples, input data can be captured by
input devices and processed, transmitted, or stored (e.g., for
future processing). The processing may include encoding data
streams, which can be subsequently decoded for presentation by
output devices. Media data can be captured by multimedia input
devices and stored by saving media data streams as files on a
computer-readable storage medium (e.g., in memory or persistent
storage on a client device, server, administrator device, or some
other device). Input devices can be separate from and
communicatively coupled to computing device 1700 (e.g., a client
device), or can be integral components of the computing device
1700. In some embodiments, multiple input devices may be combined
into a single, multifunction input device (e.g., a video camera
with an integrated microphone). The computing device 1700 may also
include output devices such as a display, speakers, printer, etc.
The output devices may include video output devices such as a
display or touchscreen. The output devices also may include audio
output devices such as external speakers or earphones. The output
devices can be separate from and communicatively coupled to the
computing device 1700, or can be integral components of the
computing device 1700. Input functionality and output functionality
may be integrated into the same input/output device (e.g., a
touchscreen). Any suitable input device, output device, or combined
input/output device either currently known or developed in the
future may be used with described systems.
In general, functionality of computing devices described herein may
be implemented in computing logic embodied in hardware or software
instructions, which can be written in a programming language, such
as C, C++, COBOL, JAVA.TM. PHP, Perl, Python, Ruby, HTML, CSS,
JavaScript, VBScript, ASPX, Microsoft .NET.TM. languages such as
C#, and/or the like. Computing logic may be compiled into
executable programs or written in interpreted programming
languages. Generally, functionality described herein can be
implemented as logic modules that can be duplicated to provide
greater processing capability, merged with other modules, or
divided into sub-modules. The computing logic can be stored in any
type of computer-readable medium (e.g., a non-transitory medium
such as a memory or storage medium) or computer storage device and
be stored on and executed by one or more general-purpose or
special-purpose processors, thus creating a special-purpose
computing device configured to provide functionality described
herein.
Many alternatives to the software systems and related devices
described herein are possible. For example, individual modules or
subsystems can be separated into additional modules or subsystems
or combined into fewer modules or subsystems. As another example,
modules or subsystems can be omitted or supplemented with other
modules or subsystems. As another example, functions that are
indicated as being performed by a particular device, module, or
subsystem may instead be performed by one or more other devices,
modules, or subsystems. Although some examples in the present
disclosure include descriptions of devices comprising specific
hardware components in specific arrangements, techniques and tools
described herein can be modified to accommodate different hardware
components, combinations, or arrangements. Further, although some
examples in the present disclosure include descriptions of specific
usage scenarios, techniques and tools described herein can be
modified to accommodate different usage scenarios. Functionality
that is described as being implemented in software can instead be
implemented in hardware, or vice versa.
The principles, representative embodiments, and modes of operation
of the present disclosure have been described in the foregoing
description. However, aspects of the present disclosure, which are
intended to be protected, are not to be construed as limited to the
particular embodiments disclosed. Further, the embodiments
described herein are to be regarded as illustrative rather than
restrictive. It will be appreciated that variations and changes may
be made by others, and equivalents employed, without departing from
the spirit of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it is expressly
intended that all such variations, changes, and equivalents fall
within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as
claimed.
* * * * *